Wine Red
by True.Romance.Is.Dead
Summary: Hermione can't bear the weight of not only the ending of the war but the death of Harry, Ron, and countless others.  She decides to reinvent herself, get away from everything and start an entirely new life, with..but her past will come back to haunt her..
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter, the pleasure's all JKR's despite my countless wishes and worshipping of Fred and George.**

She had escaped. Finally, well at least she had thought she did. Wandering around aimlessly in London lately really had set quite a fix of ideas in her head. Sometimes she wondered why she had stopped, why she quit her old life, why she just let it all go.

Well for starters, as Hermione walked the streets near that big university- Oxford- she began to remember. Something about the tall buildings of the college and the elegant grace the windows had triggered memories she had long forgotten sixteen years ago. She knew very well running in the middle of the night on busy streets wasn't practical, but it's all she could do lately to clear her head.

As her steps pounded the pavement, she thought back to Harry's death, how it had affected her. Oh, the way his eyes had lost their ever so lively glow the second his own spell had hit him. Voldemort and Harry had been at their final duel, and it was clear what was going to happen.

"_I told you I'd get you, and now here I am!" Tom sneered at Harry, as he lay on the ground suffering excruciating amounts of pain._

"_N-Never.." Harry muttered, trying to get up off of the ground._

"_Mommy and Daddy can't save you now, can they Harry? Nor are Dumbledore and Sirius around to help you. In fact, no one is around to help you!"_

"_That's what you think." Came a voice emerging from the denser side of the forest._

_Hermione had stepped out into the middle of what could be a very, very, very bad situation, willing to risk everything._

"_Potter, your lover come to save you eh?! My my, how teenager's really are overly obsessed with that subject.."_

"_Hermione I told you not to be come here! HOW WOULD YOU KNOW VOLDEMORT? IT'S THE ONE THING YOU DIDN'T HAVE!" Harry screamed as his arm winced in pain, for the cut there was bleeding more and more._

_Voldemort said to himself "If the boy knew, how wrong he actually is..", raised his wand and at that second so did Harry. Hermione stood at his side to help him just in case, but had a feeling she wasn't going to be of much help. There were spells that Harry knew that despite her immense talent, Hermione would never be able to master. There was just something Harry had that she didn't. _

_At the same time they screamed the forbidden and inhumane spell, the terrible two words one a witch or wizard would never hope to hear in even their darkest hours. _

"_Harry—please, I.." she tried to tell him something, something she never had before._

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

_They had screamed it at the same time. The sparks and such had come flying out of the tips of their wands at the same time. The two stags hit each other and then bounced backward. The expression of the immediate change in events of Harry and Voldemort's faces were not pleasant at all._

"_HARRY NO!" Hermione tried to jump in front of him, to keep the spell from hitting him. However, she missed by a fraction of a inch. Voldemort fell backward, Harry screamed and then fell down next to Hermione. Both forms, lifeless. _

_Hermione shook Harry's shoulder, tears pouring out of her eyes, not even concerned or at all joyed that Voldemort was finally dead. Sure, he was dead, but so was Harry. And losing Harry was not something she wanted to have ever happened._

_She picked up his body, struggling with his weight, and apparated to St. Mungo's. She was crying horribly now, and the second she got there with him in her arms she collapsed. Screams erupted, healers flew over and the words of "He's dead. Potter's dead." Rang through out the halls. The crowd was begging and pleading to know the story, in a matter of seconds reporters had showed up._

_Hermione just looked at Harry's cold face, one last time before she passed out completely. She never got to tell him. She could have saved him. Had she not tried to just dump it all on him and had just killed Voldemort when she had the chance none of it would have happened. Her eyes closed and her head hit the linoleum. _

Tears now danced across her face among beads of sweat as she turned the corner. She had wanted to tell him she loved him. She had wanted Voldemort to have died at Harry's hand and then for there have been celebration after celebration, and possible a moment or two for them together. She had envisioned the embraces, the kisses, the dances, the love, the life she wanted to have had. Ron had left her in the beginning of 7th year, as Voldemort had murdered him mercilessly…and she knew the relationship he had wanted would never happen then after. Harry became her lifeline, they were Head Boy and Girl so she spent so much time with him that it was almost unhealthy.

The streetlights lit her path home. She sprinted the last two miles. Running was something she had picked up when she moved into her flat near the heart of London. People must have thought she was crazy, running the streets constantly. It was the one thing though that took her into a state of mind where nothing could touch her, where she didn't have to think. The memory of Harry hurt her too much now, she had escaped it long long ago. She left the Weasley's with a note saying goodbye, claiming she needed to get away and didn't know if she'd ever return. She told them if she could bear the thoughts she'd contact them, but it'd been sixteen years and she never had. Part of her wanted to, to reconnect with Molly and Ginny and Fred, and of course George, but then the other part of her told her no. It wasn't going to ever help her. Nothing could replace Harry, and if the thought was out of site, the thought was out of mind. She had cut herself off from the wizarding world, she'd taken classes online and had not only gotten a high school diploma with high marks and honors but she'd attended Oxford herself and graduated with a PhD in Computer Science. The muggle's internet was fascinating, she adored it. Instant Messaging became a chapter in her life, the websites, the blogging, all of it. She adored her job, working as a head programmer for Apple. She was 33 though, still hadn't married. Hadn't even dated since she left Hogwarts.

She turned the key in the lock and padded her way across the foyer. Marble, hardwood, and rich plush carpeted floors made up her penthouse apartment, overlooking London. She stripped off her sneakers and made her way to the shower. Of course it was a custom done bath, with Koehler faucets, a whirlpool bath and elegant lighting fixtures. Hermione would have been successful in the wizarding world, but she'd become famous in the muggle one all the more. Her name was on every other headline in the papers…but not as Hermione Granger. She'd changed her name entirely, to Lynn Veglia. It was sophisticated, modern, it worked. No one would ever guess who she used to be, the life she had lived. It had made it so much easier to hide, especially after her parents and last living relatives had passed away. It had killed a piece of her entirely, but she managed to get on with her day to day life and fall in love with Starbucks coffee and busy schedules.

Possibly someone else too, if she could push the Boy Who Lived out of her mind. She had wanted love, so badly now. She hated being alone at night, the cold spot on the left side of her bed, the fact that every holiday she spent alone. Sure she had friends, but none that she saw on a regular basis after work.

Lynn emerged herself into the bubbles, let the tub take over her freshly showered off body. She had a candle lit and an ipod hooked up to some speakers. Imogen Heap silently drifted through the room, as she pulled her hair up. She sat there and let the warm water calm her before she pulled on an Armani bathrobe and went to her bedroom. Deep red walls and silk sheets greeted her, and she let herself fall to sleep. Sleep didn't come easy, but she slipped off into a dream anyways. More or so a nightmare that kept her thrashing about until she awoke the next morning.

She brewed a cup of coffee and pulled on another expensive outfit, Armani of course. Glancing at her Tiffany watch she noticed she was running rather late, fast straightened her hair and dashed out of the flat without downing any food. She tried to make her way through the thick crowds on the street to her corporate building before the clock hit 8 and declared her late. She nearly got hit by a car twice, and just when she looked down at her watch again she bumped into a man so hard that they both fell and her the contents of her Fendi went everywhere.

"Oh sir I'm so sorry!" she apologized as she gathered up her things. He handed her her sunglasses and Sidekick, "Don't worry about it." She noticed the velvet-ness of his voice, the stunningness of his silverish blue eyes once they caught hers. He had her memsmerized. "Thank you.." she said again, but she shook her head to make sure she wasn't dreaming and noticed he was already gone, running down the street to god knows where. His looks were breathtaking, his smile, captivating.

Lynn knew this wasn't one of her average mornings.

**Author Note:**

**I've written other stories but didn't really like them and either deleted em or never went back to writing. This one however I know exactly what I'm going to do with and I know the first chapter doesn't give you much but I kinda had to give more background info to get things started. Please R/R & I'll put up the next chapter ASAP! 3 D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter, the pleasure's all JKR's despite my countless wishes and worshipping of Fred and George.**

_How was I supposed to think after that?! Oh this guy was just so gorgeous…ha, knowing that it probably means he's a complete prat. _

And it was at that moment the thought of an old classmate from her second ear, Draco Malfoy, entered her mind. Lynn started laughing. Laughing hard. People in her office turned to look at her and she blushed a crimson red. That was like Lynn, attract attention to herself when she absolutely didn't need it. She turned back to her papers and began sifting through them for the Waverly deal. Windows would partially merge with Apple, they'd sell the new iScreen with Microsoft's LaserTech hardware. The new computer was flawless, it was perfect. The screen was a little thicker than your standard piece of paper and could be folded up and put in your pocket. Everything was wireless, Bluetooth. The keyboard, mouse and tower were combined into one tiny box that looked to be just bigger than a quarter. The box was not only the world's smallest biggest storage hardware EVER, but there was a tiny hole in which displayed out a laser keyboard and laser touch sense like mouse pad. The whole set up was disgustingly cool, Lynn kept hers in her Fendi.

She signed the deal sheet with a flourish and gave it to Casey, her secretary, to mail it out. Heading back towards her office, she noticed the rather nasty turn the weather had taken. The sky had almost at an instant gone from the brightest blue to the darkest grey. I seemed the world wasn't in the mood for anything pleasant today. She sat in her leather chair and twirled around while looking over the financial books. It'd be good for the company to invest in the stock a bit more, they had the money to. She write a note down for James to look into that.

Soon enough it hit 3 and Lynn was out of there. She took it upon herself to find a coffee shop and ordered the largest cup they had. A venti. Love it. She dumped about five packets of sugar in there and was on her way. Coming out of the shop's door, she saw the man she had run into that morning. Her breath caught for a second. He walked into the diner across the street. She discreetly made her way over and looked through the window. He was a very very attractive man and this was not the average diner either. Hell, it shouldn't even be called a diner, that completely insults the place. She saw the name, Jake's, and instantly put her finger on who this was. Jake Johnson. He was filthy rich, and this hot spot charged literally like the pound equivalent of 15 dollars for a cup of coffee and 30 for a salad. It was well worth it though, the food smelled, looked, and tasted mouthwatering. It was the elite of gourmet in London, probably that side of England for that matter. Everything from the from the crystal chandeliers to the expensive goblets on the tables looked effortlessly perfect.. Lynn had bussed tables here years ago, when she had first shifted out of, well, _that_ place. Jake had said to her "You're a very pretty girl, your face, it fits here." She had blushed at (at the time) the younger good looking guy's compliment.

Lynn decided on coming here for dinner that night. She had to talk to Jake, it was obvious he didn't remember her at all. Anyone from Hogwarts that she would run into would guess her face and shrug, but he didn't even say hello.

She found it strange that she was slightly nervous that night as she pulled on a cute little black dress she found on It was a Lotta Stensson number, and fit her figure well. She pulled on some pumps to match and headed back to her bathroom. Her long brown hair had fallen over her shoulders perfectly, she wasn't going to even bother doing anything to it. She laughed at old pictures of herself, she had a huge gap between her two front teeth and her hair was a rat's nest. That had all been fixed though, after a "reality check". She brushed on her beloved American imported makeup, MAC. She looked flawless, and that's exactly what she'd been aiming for. Lynn Veglia was known to look polished and collected _everywhere_, unlike Hermione Granger, who was noted for having bushy hair twenty four seven.

She decided she'd walk to Jake's. The air was refreshing and it was a little light out still. She remembered how she loved using the floo network years back.. Everything muggle took so much more time and effort, but she found that she appreciated things a lot more. She had an entirely different perspective on her life.

She walked into Jake's, warmed by the taste bud driving aroma and the atmosphere itself. It was dim, sconces lit on the walls, chandeliers turned down to provide just enough light.

"Table for one tonight, miss, or are you meeting someone? Perhaps a reservation?" The hostess asked her,

"Nah, just one, thanks." She followed the hostess back to a small round table near the bar. The woman passed her the thick menu and told her of the specials. Fillet Mignon, all of these tres chic Italian dishes and a ridiculous amount of other food that left Lynn wondering how on earth she was going to chose. She had to be figure conscious though, too much alfredo and everything in her closet would dub her a large woman who couldn't pick out a size that fit her.

After small talking with the waiter and ordering her homemade linguini in the famous white wine sauce, she was left to look around the restaurant. Many couples were here tonight, a few rich families among them. Everyone dressed in the latest fashion, it was almost funny how _for once_ Lynn blended in with everyone instead of standing out like she usually did.

She never saw her waiter come back, and was entirely surprised to find that Jake was the one handing her the plate of the steaming, picture perfect pasta.

He refilled her water glass and asked if there was anything else he could do for her. She nodded no, and instead of leaving like she thought he would he pulled up a chair and sat down across from her. "So tell me, Lynn Veglia, what the hell you're doing here by yourself?"

She laughed, "How'd you know who I was?"

"Come off it, everyone in this city, probably country for that matter knows who you are. You still look like you're seventeen, it's not easy to forget a face like yours,"

Her stomach did somersaults at that remark. What is a compliment? Again? Did her hair look okay? Was her dress still holding shape?

"So tell me Lynn, how've you been? It's been 16 years since you've shown your face in this place."

She laughed at that one. "Well Mr. Johnson-"

"Please, Jake."

"Fine then Jake, I've been pretty well. Things aren't exactly interesting all the time but life hasn't killed me yet. How about you? I see you haven't changed much." Why on earth was she talking like this with him, oh god forbid there was something in her teeth. He made her so nervous.

"I know. You'd figure my hair would be white thanks to all the stress of this place," he gestured to the bustling waiters and waitresses, the stock full dining area and bar, "but that's not the case. I sadly pretty much live here. I go home to shower and sleep, that's it.."

"Jake! Cmon! You're the manager, you're allowed to take days off you know."

"Yeah, but not everyone's the successful Apple CEO that you turned out to be. God Lynn, of all the people I would see doing that sort of work, I would have never pictured you."

She bit her lip at that, for some reason his words almost seemed harsh?

"Well, your not the first to think I wasn't cut out for it."

"No I didn't mean it like that at all, I meant it as in why Apple? You were good enough to model for Chanel-"

HA! Someone's been reading a lot of the US's In Touch Weekly..

"You could've done anything. You could have owned this place! What made you want to work there?"

Nothing. In all honesty, nothing had prone her to serve her life at Apple, except for the fact that the job was open and they were pretty much handing it to her on a silver platter. Someone more deserving should have gotten the job.

"The technology's fascinating, it's nice being at the top of it all you know?"

"Yeah I could imagine, let me know when that widescreen, touch screen ipod comes out..fear I'll die if I don't get my hands on that."

She laughed. "You and about a million other people."

He grinned. "The lives of millionares..billionares at your rate.."

"Oh for heaven's sake Jake, you should talk. Really. I never paid the equivalent to $30 in Hollywood for a cup of coffee!"

"Hey, we all gotta eat.."

"Jake.." He truly haden't changed at all.

"Lynn...well when your free from your busy successful life you should stop by the loft, I've got wine that costs less than that that I'm sure you'll go crazy over."

"Ha do you.."

"Absolutely, come by for a glass whenever. I won't let you starve, go ahead and tuck in, I'll catch you around." He got up and walked off to hunt down the hostess. There was a line outside getting longer and longer by the minute.

He had _such_ a great smile.

Lynn ate nearly the entire plate of pasta, it was unbelievably good. It was past midnight when she got out of there, she caught Jake's eye as she walked out the door. He flashed her another smile and turned back to putting up some chairs. She wondered what this nutter feeling was that was messing with her stomach, but then it dawned on her.

She was falling for Jake Johnson all over again. He had walked right back into her life just as fast as she walked out of his.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: JKR IS THE GENIUS. I wish I was but ****I****AM****NOT**

I had the biggest crush on Jake when I first moved out of Hogwarts. He wasn't like Ron, he wasn't like Victor, and those feelings for Harry, he overdid all of it. The first time I had applied there his smile had been just…the one thing I constantly thought about. I didn't know what I was doing, trying to look pretty and wear bottles and bottles of makeup all to impress him. I was a _bus girl_ for crying out loud. Managers, ones with class at least, don't date their employees. It was all a stupid fantasy. The muggle world was nice, yes, but I felt like a huge "idiot". Back at Hogwarts in my 7th year, I could have had any guy I wanted. I had made my impression that I wasn't going to be some lousy pushover and guys liked girls with confidence. And if they weren't complete prats, they liked the "not easy" factor. The chase is what made it fun for them. I guess. Hmm..

Jake and me had some strange experiences together. Never will I forget locking myself out of my loft (shame I got rid of my wand, a simple _Alohamora!_ Would have taken care of that), and him letting me sleep in the guest house above the restaurant where he let his best business coworkers stay if they were in town. The bedroom was gorgeous, I have to say, Jake outdid himself.

He was an overachiever, a perfectionist, every little detail mattered to him. Maybe the reason I wanted him so badly was that he was everything I threw away. He was the old me in a guy form, minus the witch past. He was just, god had I grown up "normal", I would have wanted a childhood experience like his. He spent his prep school years going to so many concerts and playing lead guitar for a band that eventually just lost touch with each other. Jake had that "emo boy skater hair" that made him all the more attractive. He had collaged the bedroom above the restaurant with all of these little posters and tickets and brochures from concerts he had not only attended but played in. One wall of the deep red (romantic side of him, or maybe something else..) room was entirely collaged, and you couldn't even tell it was there because it was the wall with the door entrance to it. The room itself had wrought iron touches and silk bed dressings and just…god it was looking at Jake himself. He was the rockstar…that gave it all up to own a _restaurant_ on the popular end of London?! Jake Johnson, just everything about him…I'm still surprised he wasn't dating anyone. I know he dated one girl back when I was working for him, but ever since then he hasn't. Weird. A guy that gorgeous should totally be taken. Or maybe he's gay? Doesn't matter, he's still an amazing person and that would never change how I thought of him

God. What was wrong with me, the phone calls I have to make, the papers that need to be filled out...and here I sit in my office with a cup of, what else, COFFEE 3, daydreaming about the man I will not ever be with. I had my chance years back, I tried to impress him, it didn't happen. Well, I am thinner and in better shape from all of the running so maybe I'll get somewhere. I hope it happens. I want it to. I love talking to Jake, I feel normal. Normal for the one time in my life, that he knew me as the one person I want to be known for. He didn't know me as the rich business women, as the witch know-it-all. He knew me, for what I was minus all the glamour and the labels. I didn't want him to know me as anything other than that. Whenever I talked with Jake, I was myself. Didn't have to impress anyone, but him at least.

I wonder what it's like, to have arms wrapped around you to hold you and to have someone whisper sweet nothings in your ear. I wonder what it's like to sleep with the other side of the bed not just cold silk sheets. I wonder what it's like to sleep with arms around you, to keep you warm. I wonder what it's like, all of it, a real relationship. I never had one. I'm 33? And the most I've ever accomplished is a few deep kisses, not even really making out?! GOD.

7th year sure Ron and I…well did things but I was so, new to it, I didn't really want to take it fast. I didn't know what I wanted, I could never make up my mind. Once I started dating Ron, I started thinking about Harry. Ron and I…we ended when he died. "Death do us part" sort of case. Harry died to save the wizarding world, which is amazing. No one's ever going to forget him. The thought of him being with me will haunt me forever. Entirely. For life. I wanted him. Harry and I would have worked. Well, it did not happen. I'm guess had life not gotten in the way it would have been me and Ron, but the story did not turn out to be that.

So as it's obvious, I had liked three guys over the course of my lifetime. Alright if you count Jake than four. Victor, Ron, Harry, Jake. All improvements above the next. I noticed I was crying now, this was beyond...upsetting in a way. Victor was an okay start, but he wasn't…someone I would spend my life with. Ron was a good guy, one of my best friends. But dating your best friend, it's…difficult. They know you so well it's hard to hide things from them. Not like there'd be anything to hide, but they spend every second with you and sometimes you just…want time alone. Harry was my ideal guy but I don't think I realized the feelings I had for him that had always been there, up until about a month before he died. Too late to do anything about him, he was…busy with things and it just…wasn't right when I was still technically with Ron. I feel horrible, because the last person Ron was every with, that he really cared about him, in the end did not feel the same towards him. I feel like such a brat, such a conceited, selfish b, but there's nothing I can do.

And now there's Jake. It's taken me 16 years to move on but I'm ready. I'm ready for a relationship, I'm ready to do this. Maybe it's just a stupid fantasy crush getting out of hand but, I can't help but wonder.

I'm tired of coming home to an empty flat, I'm tired of sleeping alone, I'm tired of being alone.

It was that exact moment that the phone rang, disrupting my long train of thought completely.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Miss Veglia, of L.E.M. Apple?"

"Yeah who's calling?" Guy's being ultra professional? Okay, this week is starting to get…odd..

"This is Fred Weasley."

My heart probably literally stopped. Why was he contacting me? He knew how much everything had bothered me, I can't go back to it all!

"I want to know why you ran away Hermione, why you changed your identity and threw it all away."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." I threw at him and hung up. He called back, I didn't answer. I couldn't deal with this. How did he find me?! How did he figure out how to use a phone!? Why, after all this time, would he think I was willing to go back?! Wow, I …couldn't believe this. I grabbed my Fendi and my pea coat out of the closet in my office, my sidekick off of my desk and I was getting out of this place. This was too much. My mascara was probably already running horribly down my face. I slammed my office door as I walked out, pulled my jacket on and walked fast.

"Hey Shell, I'm going to leave early today…Just…need to clear out my head, stress, too much going on all at once…I'm sorry…All of the papers, just give them to me and I'll fill them out and mail them. Everyone can leave for the day, nothing to do here. Cancel my appointments and have them rescheduled for next Wednesday. Send my apologies to everyone, I hate bagging on you guys like this but I just…need to get out of here." I did in a breath.

My secretary sat there with her mouth open. "Miss Veglia this is the first day you've taken off in like, ten years, are you sure you're all right?"

"Not really, but a few days out of routine and just some de-stressing should do me some good. Thanks so much Shell, I'd be fired if it weren't for you." I tried to smile, didn't work so well.

"No problem Lynn, here's the folder with everything you need to sign and the addresses they need to be mailed to are on a list taped inside. If anyone needs anything I'll have them leave messages on your cell for you to get back to them when you're able to. Dear I do hope you're all right. You've got my number if you need to talk to someone Lynn." She passed me a fairly thick folder. I thanked her again and got the heck out of there.

Now that Fred had done that, my office was going to be hard to retreat to. I couldn't go back. I can't redo it all. I threw it all away, except for the albums. The pictures, those I still have. I can't look at them though, I haven't in 16 years. I'll cry if I see Ron's face, I'll want to die if I see Harry's. Everyone must think I'm crazy.

I dead bolted the flat door, turned the bath bubble water on extra hot, turned my phone off, stripped off everything and hopped in the tub. The papers were in my home office to fill out in the morning, dinner, well I'm not hungry so screw that.

I wanted the hot water to just engulf everything and give me a normal life. Well, I guess everyone does have stress and issues but…ones that drive you crazy for almost two decades?! Yeah that I'm not so sure about.

I started to pick at my nail polish. For a 30 something year old, I was a mess. Outside of work, I didn't really have friends. I just…someone to talk to, someone to dump this on. I feel like…my entire life is going to be hell if I don't get some good friends and start living.

At that moment what Jake said hit me.

"_I've got a bottle of wine that I know you'd like, stop by sometime." _Or something to that extent.

This isn't good. I could really really care about Jake, and for that I almost want to push him away. I got out of the tub, threw a robe on, drained the water and went into my room.

The bedroom in the flat was large. Very large. Like, sitting area, fireplace, doors to a balcony, etc etc large. It was lonely. This flat was fit for like, ten people, not one. It's so beautiful, and I'm so lucky to have it but I feel so alone in it. It's worse at night though, so much worse. I couldn't tell anyone how many times I cried myself to sleep, Jake would find me pathetic. Everything about him was home-ish, just, it felt right. I saw him twice since when I worked for him when I was 17 and I'm already obsessing. I want to spend time with him. I want him. All of him. Forever. I want to get to know him more, I want to see outside of that "work environment"…

I wanted to call him… about the "wine"... But maybe he was just being nice. Maybe he just…tried to friendly and polite.

Great. Hello being alone for the rest of my life!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: JKR wrote 7 amazing books. So far at least. I own nothing that has to do with them, or them. The end.**

"Lynn I have never seen you in jeans." Was the first thing out of his mouth two months later.

"Well Jake, we can't all wear ball gowns all the time. I can't stand them, for one." He smiled, and let me in to his apartment.

"Lynn. That's so, well it's sophisticated, I give your mother that. What am I going to knick name you…Elle? Like letter wise…Ellie?"

"I'm getting a knick name?" I fake shocked as I sat down on his couch.

"Why not…I feel like your old boss still calling you Lynn, and sorry I won't resort to 'Miss Veglia'." He said, sitting on the other end of the couch and throwing his feet up. Relaxed. Jake was just, he could be Mr. Suit and Gorgeous and then flop on couch. Loveeeee.

"I can't believe you were my boss. You were like, 22?" I laughed, the thought of him being 22 was funny now.

"Yeah, I'm 38 now. It was kind of nice, being set for life that early but at this same time I wish I could have gotten more things done you know?" He sat there, almost a sad look on his face.

"Kind of like you wanted to figure out who you were and what you wanted to do and where you place was… but someone took that all away. You didn't have much of a choice." I spilled out…oh god…my life story, here goes…

"Yeah, exactly that." He agreed.

"It's like, we like our jobs, our lives are pretty darn good compared to a lot of other people's, but we'd still trade it all for something…a little more low key and less public." I thought…thinking of Apple and the stress all of the deals and patents had been lately.

"Wouldn't mind working in a clothes store living in a regular flat with a regular family and just, regular everything else."

"I hear you, seriously…I can't tell you the last time I went out on a date, Ellie, oh my god I feel like such a loser. I'm going to hit 40 and I'm still not even with a steady girlfriend, my employees must think I'm a loser." He shuddered, looking adorable in his plaid pj pants and a black tight long sleeve shirt.

"Oh come on, you're not a loser! Please, I'm the one who hasn't dated since they were 17 so please, don't even go there." I said and knew I was wearing the "I so need you" face, god I hated that about myself. I always wear my feelings on my sleeve. It's just, really sad when I think about it.

"Ellie.." he said with a look of pity on his face, "I'm just your friend," those words stung and stabbed like nothing else, "but I have to say I can't see why anyone wouldn't date you. You're pretty, you're smart, you've got everything all set out for you. You know what you're doing with your life, you're just…good." He said, not looking me in the eye. Kind of awkward for him to say I guess.

"Yeah well, I don't know what I'm doing wrong." I whispered, curling up a bit and getting comfortable on the couch.

"Ellie! Nothing. You're doing nothing wrong. The other guys out there must be idiots or something, I don't know...We're weird." He said, trying to make me feel better.

"I know that much."

"You want something to drink? I don't know if you're working tomorrow or anything but if you want anything. I've still got that wine.." He asked.

Jake was a good guy. Sitting here, talking to me, all of this. We had been running into each other here and there and are now hanging out? Shocking.

"Um, actually, just like half a glass or whatever is fine…I don't really drink much these days." It was true. Alcohol did not appeal to me much anymore, but I couldn't be rude.

"The wine. Trust me, it's good. It'll make you feel better, I can tell you're not so great tonight." He got up and went in his kitchen. Honestly his flat was like the ideal thing, stainless steel 101, very cool. But at the same time it was homey. It had a good, "I made this _my_ home" kind of place.

I liked it. A lot. And I liked Jake, a lot. But he didn't see me as a girlfriend I'm guessing so I don't think it's going anywhere. I wished it would, but he just...despite what he said to me and gave me the cute knick name and such…I don't know.

"Here you are madam, from England's finest Brewery, a merlot aged to perfection." He passed me a glass. Despite it was merlot, it was a very reddish wine. Interesting.

"Cheers!" We touched glasses and drank. Kind of reminded me of the old Three Broomsticks days with Ron and Harry. Only Butterbeer could not top this. I had to admit, this wine, was really, really good. It was like sweet, but not too much, and almost had a punch to it. The after taste when I set my glass down kind of gave me a rush.

"I take it you like it?" He grinned.

"It's…woo…"

"Thought so." He emptied his glass and set it down next to mine.

"Jake, this is funny."

"What?"

"Talking with you like this, hanging out in your flat, drinking your wine…etc etc.." I rolled off.

He thought about that. "It's not funny, I bet it's just strange for you?"

"Yeah, in a lot of ways it is."

"Why is that?"

I hesitated. I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell someone…about everything. Jake wouldn't believe me on the magic part either, he'd probably go like "Yeah, you're on drugs, get the heck out of here." Or something like that.

Before I knew it, I had dumped it all on him. He sat there and listened, commented here and there. When I got to Ron and Harry dying he just looked sad. I started to cry. Years and years of bottling it up just, poured out. He passed me a tissue and then hugged me.

"Shh, it's going to be okay Ellie, it's alright, calm down, it's over now, you're allowed to live." He whispered in my ear.

"It's never going to be over," I sniffed. "It's going to drive me crazy, the life I threw away. And why haven't you freaked out that I can do magic?"

"Because. I would have went to Hogwarts. I know exactly what you're talking about. I denied my letter. It wasn't that I didn't want to go, I just, I didn't want to leave the life I had started like you ended up doing once you finished there. I can't believe you went there!"

I was shocked. This guy...wow…but that made me cry harder, knowing he wasn't going to want me. Everything he did was out of friendship. Nothing more. Two months had passed since my dinner in his restaurant that night and it wasn't looking "romantic" at least. This wasn't, I knew it wasn't. It could very well be considered that but I knew it wasn't.

"Jake I don't even know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." He still had his arms around me, the touch of his skin to my body was sending sparks and five million other "OH MY GOD!" electrifying emotions running through me.

I tried to calm down a bit more. He looked at me, moved my hair out of my face and wiped at my tears. "You know, you're pretty even when you cry."

I half smiled. "And you, Mr. Male Model of the World over here.."

"Oh Ellie," he laughed. He moved off the couch and took the glasses. "I'm a neat freak, I'm going to go put these away, one second.."

Sometimes he acts strange but I think it's cute. When he does stuff like this. And I can't believe he just held me. Good god. If I wasn't crying buckets it would have been better.

He sat back down, a little closer to me than he had earlier. "I'm surprised you trusted me with all that, you know."

"In a lot of ways so am I. I haven't told anyone that. Ever. God Jake that merlot you gave me must have done something. Sure I trust you but…that's like…something so…"

"Personal. I understand. Don't worry about it, anytime you need to talk or whatever's fine Ell."

"I owe you." I said, noticing the time. "Ugh it's 11:30 Jake…I should go, especially since you're working tomorrow."

"I'm not actually, and look, out the window, it's, snowing…I'm not so sure you want to travel in that…Late Novembers here can be nasty…You could stay here if you want."

OH.  
MY.

GOD.

THANK YOU, MOTHER NATURE. GOD. WHATEVER IS CAUSING THIS.

"Jake you're too nice, I feel like a total imposter, I could just get a cab you know." I hurried, nervous now.

"No it's alright, you want the guest room? The couch? My room?" HIS ROOM. HIS ROOM. HIS ROOM. HIS ROOM…

"Whatever is fine Jake, you are seriously too nice to me."

"I think you'll like the guest room…here follow me." He took my hand (OHMYGOD) and guided me through his flat. Which had two floors! He took me up the staircase and brought me to the room at the end of the hall. It was phenomenal.

One wall was entirely glass. The bed face it, so it overlooked the city. It was big too, perfect. "Jake this is…"

"I know, it's my favorite room in the house. I want you to sleep though, you look like you need it, don't worry about getting up at all tomorrow." He said, trying to be serious.

I laughed. "I might just hold you to that." I kicked off my heels and started to pull back the covers. I was going to climb in and it was going to be one nice siesta.

"Oh let me get you some clothes or something, sleeping in jeans isn't exactly great…"

He was back in two seconds with a pair of boxer-ish sleep shorts and a plaid button down sleep shirt. "I'll leave you to sleep, my room's right next door if you need anything. Night Ell."

"Thanks Jake, really."

"You're welcome here whenever." He smiled and closed the door behind him.

I stripped off my clothes and dressed in his. They smelt so great, of his cologne or whatever it was he wore. I slipped between the sheets and silently thanked god. Things had really picked up. And this, this was huge. BIG steps here. I trusted him, we were friends, things were just finally…good for once.

My stomach had finally settled down, I knew I could sleep soundly. I could hear Jake next door getting into his own bed. I had reopened the door once I finished changing, I didn't like sleeping with it closed.

The thought of the morning with him and whatever was to come was the last thing on my mind before I drifted off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: HP JKR. THE END.**

"Good morning, or should I say afternoon…it's 1." Jake greeted me with a cup of coffee in my room. He sat on the bed and passed me the steaming cup.

I felt so groggy and disgusting. My hair must look like…well not going to go there. We both looked out the window at the falling snow. It was covering London like a blanket, this was going to be a storm, the way it was coming down.

"Quite beautiful, isn't it." He said quietly.

"Yeah it is, must be at least two feet out there." I noticed, not surprised.

"Actually the news said it was three and a half, we might just be snowed in." He laughed.

I was snowed in. Stuck with Jake Johnson. In his apartment. All alone.

I was totally not prepared for this.

"Jake I feel really bad staying here on your day off!" I admitted sadly.

"Really it's fine, I like the company. Not like I was going to do anything today anyway." He laid back on the bed next to me, our bodies less than a foot apart.

"Are you sure…"

"100. What do you want to do today Elle?"

"Mmm I don't want to make the decision.." I said, snuggling back under the covers after I had set the now empty cup on the nightstand.

"Oh, being lazy are we?"

"Watch it buddy. I'm not a morning person." I warned. And it was totally true, it was why I started work at 9 and went until 6. I hated getting up.

"Sorry dear, it's not the morning anymore."

The next thing I knew I was engaged in a full on pillow war and we were both acting like five year olds. He chased me around the room, over the bed, out into the halls. Finally I gave up and let him attack me. I had gotten a good whack at him a few times, but obviously it did not me a dent in his endurance.

"Ellie you suck." He said, throwing his pillow back on the bed and coming out onto the balcony where I was sitting.

"Ouch, was that supposed to hurt?" I said sarcastically, still tired.

"The truth hurts sometimes, it's a fact of life."

"Well I don't go buy facts. I go by opinions."

"Oh debating now are we?"

"Not at all, I'm not at work. I give in. You win. Look at the snow. I'm literally freezing my ass off." I shivered. I was standing in three feet worth of snow with shorts on. I'm a genius, I know.

"Well then lets go back inside smart one. C'mon, London ain't that pretty." He headed in. I followed. I got a towel from the bathroom and wiped the melting snow off my legs. I could hear water running in Jake's room, so I assumed he was taking a shower. I decided I'd mine as well too, and headed into his guest bathroom.

It wasn't as big as mine, but the hot water in the shower felt so good I almost didn't want to get out. Finally after what was probably a half hour I let myself finish up. I threw my hair up in a messy bun and found my purse. I put some makeup on and got back into my clothes. The jeans felt a little loose, I hadn't eaten much. The v-neck sweater fit snug to my body though, I can understand why they call it the "sexy fit". I'm lucky my chest wasn't falling out of this thing. I glanced at the clock where the coffee cup was, it was 4 already. I grabbed the glass and headed out into Jake's kitchen. I set the glass in the dishwasher and turned around to find Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome.

"Well, you clean up well." I noticed his hair gelled to be the "messy perfection" look. He still hadn't cut his skater-ish hair, the brown locks hit just above his eyes.

"As do you," he grabbed at my bun. "Well, isn't this the dancer look?"

"Hey," I shoved him away and pouted. "No messing up the hair."

He held his hands up and laughed. "Alright…"

We went back into the living room and sat on the couch. I didn't want to be boring around Jake…but I had a feeling I was doing exactly that.

"You want to watch a movie or something?"

We watched four. Probably ate like five bags of butter popcorn. We had curled up with blankets on the couch, he had turned on his electric fire place. After the ending of the last one, Catch and Release, which was my diehard favorite, he looked disturbed.

"You believe in that crap?" He asked.

"Oh god, well it's a cute story!" I had to defend Keanu and Sandra, I loved that movie so much.

"Women…" he muttered as he turned off the tv. "Hmm…Ellie I want to show you something." He got up off the leather couch.

"Yeah?" I wondered what he had in mind. He went into his bedroom and came out with what looked like a letter, and then…ohmygod, a _Daily Prophet_ issue.

"This was the letter I got, 27 years ago."

I held it in my hands for a long time. I remembered getting mine. The parchment was cool and smooth, the letter's contents exactly the same as mine.

"I can't believe you kept this." I said, looking into his eyes for some sign of emotion.

"I had to." He sat there for awhile, looking at it. "But this…this is what got to me." He handed me the issue of the _Prophet._

I gasped.

"Potter's Best Friend Granger Goes Missing, Hasn't Been Seen in Months." Was the title of the article taking up the entire front page. My picture with me and Harry with our arms around each other in front of The Three Broomsticks was there too. We looked happy. Oh his face…My heart still did double beats whenever I saw pictures of it. The article went on and on about who I was, my connection to Harry, and how after he died I seemed to have "run away", no one could find me. They thought if I didn't return I could have possibly died too…there had been searches for me…there were quotes from people that knew me claiming how much they missed me…

"I got this three days after I hired you."

My mouth was still dropped open. "You knew…all this time…"

"Yeah, I did, and every day I wanted to ask you. About who you _really_ were. Why you did it. I had figured you definitely had changed you're name, or you had an identical twin you never mentioned."

"Oh Jake…I don't know what to say…"

"Why'd you do it?" he asked, looking at the picture.

"A lot of reasons…I couldn't handle it all…" I started.

"You were in love with Potter weren't you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: JKR…Harry Potter with which you own…oh how I wish I were you.**

I couldn't look at him.

"That's what I thought." He said. "It all made since you know, when you were working for me. You always looked sad, preoccupied. And you constantly fiddled with that locket you wore, which you're still wearing now."

I was shocked. Completely shocked. How had he known about the locket?

"I'm guessing he gave you that for Christmas or something."

"Jake…" Now I really didn't know what to say.

"Ellie it's okay to be upset over it all. But to like, change who you are and throw that life away…"

"You don't understand!" I started crying. Great, he'd see me cry twice in two days now. "What it's like, to have everyone looking at you and sending you cards and asking you five million questions. They wouldn't leave me alone, they'd write me constantly talking about Harry. There were signs all over, ceremonies, even concerts done in his memory. I couldn't take it, all I wanted to do was forget about it but the wizarding world would not let me. It haunted me. It still does. When I was working for you I felt normal for once. No one knew who I was, I got a second chance at life. I was a mess though, never sleeping, running all the time, burned myself out.."

"Ellie…Lynn…Hermione..." he looked at me with an expression I hadn't seen before. "Do you still love him?"

"I…um…"

"If you don't want to-"

"Yes. I'm always going to. But I'm not _in love_ with him. He was more like a brother anyway I guess. I wish I had started dating after all that, you know? Get myself back into it all, but it never happened. I guess I didn't appeal to anyone. Eats at me all the time." I picked at the nail polish on my nail, I had to calm down somehow…really bad habit of mine. Now that I had admitted what I had probably needed to for years, I was able to stop crying. I hiccupped a bit, but I was alright, finally.

"You did."

"How would you know?!" I was a bit taken aback.

"Because. You wonder why I never, why I never said anything to you about it?"

Is he saying what I think he's saying?

"How could I even talk to you once I discovered who you were? I knew you were still wrapped up in the thoughts of him, I know what that's like. You didn't want anything but him. You wouldn't ever."

"Jake, listen-"

"No, _Hermione_, just let me say this. I wanted you from the second I saw you. But obviously being your boss I couldn't do crap about it. It was really unprofessional, and you were still young anyway. You didn't know what you were going to do with your life, mine had already been set up for me. I couldn't go after you when I knew every time I kissed you you'd think it was Harry. You'd want it to be at least. I toured with my band for awhile once you had left. And I'm not going to lie to you, half the songs I had written, they were about you."

This is what I had wanted to hear. Or at least, to know how Jake felt. My mind was spinning.

"We're not young anymore. You're not 17 anymore. You're 33. I can't let this just go and not know. I want to live too you know, but ever since you had walked into my life I felt like it was on pause. Like I could never get over you unless I had known I had tried."

"Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"I can't be your Harry, Hermione." He said quietly, still not looking at me.

"I don't want you to be."

"Yeah well, now I feel pretty stupid telling you all this."

"You know Jake, I wish you had told me sooner."

"You what?!"

"I wish you had told me sooner. We could have avoided all of this…emotional drama bogus…"

He laughed. "And by saying that you mean?"

"I was ready for you 16 years ago."

"What about now?"

"Jake, a lot of people let time change their mind. I don't."

It was like Keanu and Sandra at the end of the movie. We were all over each other. The second his lips hit mine my mind went into 5 o' clock rush hour spazzems, electricity shot through me. I wrapped my arms around him and he did the same with me, our bodies pressed against each others with no room to spare. We fell back onto the couch, he kept kissing me.

Really, for not having dated many people Jake was an exceptional kisser. This was like nothing I had ever done before. Maybe that was because he was like no one I had ever been with.

We kissed and kissed and before I knew it his tongue was inside my mouth, sending me into emotional haywire. My hands were running up and down his back, his on my waist. We couldn't stop. We had nowhere to be, this was all we had wanted.

"Jake…"

"Ellie…Hermione…"

"Which one are you going to stick with?"

"I'd take either of you." He kidded. His blue eyes were glowing as I looked into them, he truly looked happy. He leaned in and kissed me again, up until I was sure I was going to die from lack of air.

I loved laying like that, in his arms. And I couldn't help but smile, I wasn't going to spend time alone, for awhile at least. That is unless Jake was going to drop me as if I was nothing but I don't think that's the case, he's not like that.

"You realize it's…like past one…" he whispered in my ear.

"I should go." I said, honestly what would his neighbors think if I stayed over two nights in a row? I don't care.

"What if I want you to stay?" Jake asked me, with this expression I wish I could have photographed. I had to wait to 33 years to see it, and I'm so glad I did.

"I could…but my clothes…" I really hope they didn't stink…

"You look fine!"

"Well, I should get some. I could always come back, if you want me to that is…" I thought.

He got up off of me. "By all means, if you're not back here in twenty minutes…"

I smiled. "Oh, poor baby can't wait any longer than that?"

"Ell, I had to wait 16 years to do this, " he took me in his arms again. "Now I don't want to wait another second."

**A/N: Ouch, no reviews? Yikes…is it that bad?**


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